


Love Letters From Jesper

by Feriku



Category: Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Dyslexia, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Insecurity, Love Letters, M/M, Reading Aloud
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-14
Updated: 2019-06-14
Packaged: 2020-05-07 10:50:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19207864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Feriku/pseuds/Feriku
Summary: Jesper reading out loud to Wylan is the perfect arrangement, but it brings Wylan's insecurities to the surface... at least until Jesper adds a special surprise.





	Love Letters From Jesper

Five reports about the day’s work needed to be read and understood, and so Wylan sat down at his father’s—no, at _his_ desk, his own desk in his own office—and held out the documents in question.

Jesper pulled up a chair next to him and glanced over the first page. He shook his head with a low whistle. “Glad I don’t have to figure this stuff out.” He winked. “I’ll leave that to the smart one.”

Wylan knew he only said it to make him feel better, but it did cause a spark of pride all the same. Jesper considered him smart, taking on the tougher part of this job—

_—which meant Jesper was left with the easy part, the part that didn’t require being smart, the part Wylan still wasn’t smart enough to do._

He flinched. Jesper hadn’t meant it like that, but the poisonous thought came all the same.

“Merchling?”

“I’m okay.” Wylan did his best to banish those thoughts and bring his attention back to the things that actually mattered: the reports and the gorgeous boy about to read them. “Go on.”

As Jesper read through each page, it got easier. His deep voice really was soothing, and the cadence of his words helped Wylan relax. Occasionally he asked Jesper to repeat something or make a note on a separate sheet of paper, but for the most part he just listened.

Yes, this was going to work out just fine.

Of course, no one else in his position had to do this. All the others would simply read the documents themselves.

Anyone capable would.

There he was, trying to manage his father’s business—no, his business, _his_ —when he couldn’t even read. It was crazy, it would never work, he should have followed his own instincts instead of listening to what Kaz said—

Jesper’s warm hand against his cheek made Wylan realize he’d frozen.

“Merchling? Everything okay?”

“I’m sorry,” Wylan said.

“There’s nothing to apologize for.”

He looked away. “I mean I’m sorry you have to do this. I’m sorry you have to take the time to read to me.” _I’m sorry I’m still useless._

Jesper gently tilted Wylan’s face to look into his eyes. “There’s nothing to apologize for,” he said again, his tone firm.

Wylan leaned into the reassuring touch. “I know. I know.” He wanted to apologize for being weak, but he bit back the apology. “Doing this just… makes me remember things.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

He was already. More than just his words, it was his hand against Wylan’s skin, his presence, his kindness. “Stay with me,” Wylan whispered.

Jesper shifted and moved forward to wrap his arms around him. “Not going anywhere.”

That was enough to drive back the memories, but the papers continued to taunt Wylan from the desk.

# 

The next day saw an even bigger stack of work, with seven reports that needed to be read and understood, and Wylan’s old insecurities were now coupled by the fear that he’d break down again and this would never get any easier.

_Weak._

He forced himself to sit at the desk. Like a child pretending to be a businessman. He shuddered from the sudden surreal expectation that his father would walk in and shout at him for being there.

Jesper squeezed his shoulders before sitting in the other chair. Again, his touch helped keep Wylan grounded. He took a deep breath. Jesper didn’t judge him for needing these documents read to him.

“Let’s begin,” Wylan said, determined to push through.

Jesper nodded. “All right.”

Again, things got better once he started reading. Wylan could almost enjoy himself as he made decisions and realized he really did understand the ins and outs of the business. But that prickle of doubt remained. It shouldn’t be like this. If he was truly ready, he wouldn’t have to do it like this.

Wylan gritted his teeth and focused on the final report, but panic welled up within him. Someday he’d forget what they said, and Jesper wouldn’t be there to help, and then everyone would know how _pathetic_ , how _useless—_

“That was the last one,” he said through numb lips. He stood up, unsteady and a little dizzy. He had to get out of the office, away from this task, and then he’d be able to force the poison out of his thoughts again.

“Wait, merchling.” Jesper held up a sheet of paper. “There’s one more.”

Wylan gave him a sharp look. In an attempt to compensate for not being able to read them, he kept meticulous track of how many reports and documents he had each day. There was _not_ one more. But while he couldn’t read the remaining page, he recognized the untidy scrawl as Jesper’s own handwriting, so he settled back into his seat.

Curiosity crept through his pain. What was Jesper up to?

“If I had to guess,” Jesper said, “I’d say this is a letter written by an outrageously handsome Zemeni man.”

Despite everything, Wylan couldn’t hold back a smile. “That’s my analysis, too. Let’s hear what he had to say.”

Jesper cleared his throat. “It says… ‘My dearest, darling Wylan. You are the light of my life, my shining star even in the darkest times. Every moment I’m with you, I want to tell you how beautiful and smart you are. Everything about you makes me happy, from the sight of your smile to the sound of your voice to the way you stayed kind even when the world was against you.’”

Wylan blushed furiously, but Jesper just kept reading.

“‘Never forget what a wonderful person you are. There are a few rare people in this world who are truly good—and you’re one of them. I treasure the time we’re together and long for you when we’re apart. I love you, Wylan, and I hope to one day be worthy of your love. Eternally yours, Jesper.’”

Speechless, Wylan stared at him. Jesper flirted with him all the time, yes, but he rarely got sentimental. For him to pour his heart out on the page like that—and then read it out loud—was staggering.

And the way Jesper was looking at him, with a gentle smile and eyes full of love, proved his words were completely sincere.

“You didn’t have to write a letter,” Wylan finally said, because he didn’t know how to respond to the words themselves.

Jesper chuckled. “You deserve to get love letters, Wy. Besides, I’m no good at being serious and sentimental. It’s easier to get all of my thoughts out first.” He moved to put the letter with the other documents, but Wylan grabbed it.

“I’ll take this,” he said. “We don’t want it getting mixed in with business by mistake.”

“Yeah, might make the other merchers jealous to know you’re taken.”

“No, they’d be jealous of me for having someone as sweet as you.”

“Sweet? I thought I’d warrant ‘sexy’ at least.”

Wylan elbowed him. “That doesn’t come through in a letter, Jes.”

“Oh? I’ll need to work on that.”

“Besides, I don’t need a letter to prove that you’re sexy,” Wylan said despite his blush. “I have you right here in the flesh.”

He put the letter in an empty drawer, to keep it away from the other documents. But also because he wanted to keep it.

His earlier need to escape the office had vanished entirely.

# 

The next day had only two reports to go through, but one required a response. Wylan cleared his throat. “Jesper, I need you to write a letter for me.”

“All right.” The other boy grabbed a sheet of parchment and sat poised to write, with an exaggerated, grandiose flourish. “Your secretary is here and ready to serve.”

At least this wouldn’t raise any suspicions. It was quite common for someone in Wylan’s position to dictate letters to a secretary. No one would think anything of it when the letter arrived written in Jesper’s handwriting.

No one would suspect that he was—

Wylan reached into the desk drawer to brush his fingers along the letter from Jesper. Just to remind himself it was there. To remember those beautiful things Jesper had written with the sole intention of reading them out loud to him.

_Beautiful._

_Smart._

_Kind._

_Good._

Not useless.

He could do this.

# 

The next day, Wylan stood after the last report only to once again have Jesper hold up one last document with his handwriting on it.

Wylan sat back down.

“‘My sweet Wylan,’” Jesper read, “‘in my last correspondence, I’m afraid I got too sentimental. To make up for that, I’d like to tell you that whenever I see you, I have the overwhelming urge to rip off all your clothes, press you against the wall, and—’”

“ _Jesper!”_

“Too much?” he asked, a hint of worry in his tone.

Blushing, Wylan shook his head. “Did you… did you really write that down, though?”

“Every word of it. I’d never lie to you about what I’m reading.”

Ghezen…

This letter would _have_ to go in the drawer with the other one. To make sure it wasn’t seen by anyone else, of course. But first…

“Go on, then,” he said. “Read the rest of it.”

# 

“There’s another letter, merchling!”

“Let’s hear this one.”

“‘My precious Wylan…’”

# 

Not every day included a letter from Jesper, but many did, and Wylan caught himself waiting each time to see if there would be something new or not. By the time a month passed, he had a stack of letters that ranged from embarrassingly sweet to mortifyingly vulgar.

He kept them all in the desk drawer, and whenever he needed to, he ran his fingers over them or even got them out. Holding the letters reminded him that Jesper cared about him, appreciated him, desired him, _loved_ him.

And that Jesper didn’t think poorly of him for not being able to read. He didn’t resent him or pity him, just found ways to work around it.

Wylan hurried toward his office with Jesper right alongside him. He couldn’t wait to see if there was another letter today, and if so, what sort it would be.

He walked inside and paused. Come to think of it, he hadn’t dreaded these sessions in a long time. He’d actually started to look forward to them, because they might involve another love letter. Being read to almost never made him feel worthless anymore.

He sat down at the desk and watched Jesper. That sly, wonderful boy had probably planned this from the start. He was amazing. If anyone deserved to receive beautiful love letters, it was him.

“Something wrong?” Jesper asked.

Wylan gave himself a shake. “No.” He paused. “I need you to take a letter.”

“All right.” Jesper got ready to write. “Begin whenever you’re ready.”

Wylan grinned and cleared his throat. “‘To my dear, beloved Jesper…’”


End file.
